First time moving out!

Cheryl_newbie

Moving out with my boyfriend this week and could do with some tips!

Never been food shopping before! Is it best to buy in bulk or with meals in mind?! don't want to waste money.

*Paris*

Congrats on moving out

If you've got an empty fridge freezer & cupboards, personally I'd stock up on any meat on offer and freeze it, and any tinned food, and cleaning products. Once you've stocked up you just need to keep topping it up...depends on your budget really as you don't need to stock up straight away

skiTTish

Be prepared for your first shop to be expensive ,you will need to stock up on staples ,spices ,oils ,herbs ,flour sauces etc

Besides that its best to see whats cheap/on offer /in season ,but only buy if you can 'in your head ' work out a meal using extra ingredients that will do atleast one other meal that week too ,ie : if chicken is on offer and I fancy doing roast ,I will buy cabbage and carrots,spuds and eggs for yorkies,then another night I will use the rest of the cabbage,carrots to make coleslaw to go with something else and the rest of the eggs will go into a frittata made with wedgies from the spuds.
Personally I never buy anything for just one meal if i can help it iyswim:o

Stephen_Leak

This is my absolute basics list. If I run out of any of these, I get "twitchy".

My other advice is shop from a list. This way you not only don't forget the things you need, but also you don't get things you don't need. However, bargains are there to be snapped up.

CUPBOARD

142g tin of tomato puree
400g tin of plum tomatoes 1
400g tin of red kidney beans
400g tin of tuna in brine
420g tin of baked beans
500g bag of plain flour
500g packet of basmati rice 2
500g packet of spaghetti
250ml bottle of olive oil
500ml bottle of sunflower or vegetable oil
Chilli powder 3
Dried mixed herbs
Eggs 4
Ground black pepper
Stock cubes 5

FREEZER

375g pack of casserole or stewing beef
375g pack of chicken breasts
500g of white fish fillets 6
500g pack of minced meat 7

FRIDGE

Bottle of lemon juice
Butter
Cheese
Milk
Tomatoes

VEGETABLES

Baking potatoes
Garlic
Onions
　
1 Plum tomatoes can be used either whole or chopped. It is difficult to stick chopped tomatoes back together again if you need to use them whole.

2 Basmati is the best all purpose rice. It cooks quickly, it is more fragrant (its name is Hindi for ‘fragrant’) than long grain and it also holds together during cooking.

3 Get hot chilli powder, as you will use less of this than mild.

4 There is no need to keep eggs in the fridge.

5 Get vegetable ones first, as they sort of go with everything, then chicken or beef as required.

6 Use cod, coley, haddock, hake, ling, plaice, pollack or whiting, whichever is cheapest.

7 Use minced beef, lamb, pork or turkey, whichever is cheapest.